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Now I get it, a Hunter can never be TOO fat, rider can never be TOO skinny.

Ok, I've got way too much work to do should I ever want to do hunters. I've got (gasp) meaty thighs and my OTTB does not.

Guess I'll have to stay with eventing, at least I won't have to change his name which would never work in the hunter ring, JC and show name is Shine My Shoes. "Shoey" will continue to proudly use his JC name.

I'll joing the thunder thigh brigade, already had them and then started doing track work. No fat just ridiculously muscley.

Also for any of those riders wanted to get super fit, go find a local race trainer and start doing track work! holy moley, I thought I was fairly fit playing sport, walking to work and riding every day but this is a whole level of fitness.

Oh please. Have you ever BEEN to a hunter show? Plenty of chunky ammies on horses of all breeds, abilities, and sizes, especially at the local level (even local A shows). As long as weight (equine or rider) isn't effecting the horse, it doesn't matter. Lots of stupid names, good names, bad riding, good riding, fancy horses, crappy horses and everything in between.

No, you aren't going to win (or do well at all) at the big AA circuits. But at the local B/A level, the best round (find all 8, steady, correct strides, smooth changes) wins, with a fancier horse placing better if all else is equal.

Funny, that sounds JUST like eventing. You can win local shows on anything, as long as it puts in a steady dressage test and jumps clean. But you aren't going to win in a big division at the bigger shows if you horse isn't fancy, no matter how obedient and accurate your test is. I know many eventers like to think theirs is the best discipline, and that dressage and hunters are for snobs on fancy horses. But really, try GOING to a local show and you'll see how wrong you are.

Big_Gray_hunter, I think the OP was just having a little fun with all the eventer/hunter threads running right now. (And heck, I've just attended my first A-level H/J show and totally agree with what you're saying. I came 2nd in a low hunter classic - both the winner and I are a little chunkier - she put in a lovely round and was well-deserving of the win.)

Blugal

You never know what kind of obsessive compulsive crazy person you are until another person imitates your behaviour at a three-day. --Gry2Yng

FWIW, I just sent my event horse (big boned Appendix) off to play hunter lesson pony for the next few months. He's been out of work since last summer and on lush pasture and he's FAT. But after watching all the videos from Devon, I'm kinda afraid he's STILL not porky enough!

Flip a coin. It's not what side lands that matters, but what side you were hoping for when the coin was still in the air.

You really didn't miss much, just some fun! I think it was just a typical BB spin off of a spin off of a spin off. While looking at pictures of Amber Eyes doing the hunter derby we realized how obscenely fat some of the hunters are. Add in a dose of changing names to fit hunter "name mode" and away we go.....

Oh please. Have you ever BEEN to a hunter show? Plenty of chunky ammies on horses of all breeds, abilities, and sizes, especially at the local level (even local A shows). As long as weight (equine or rider) isn't effecting the horse, it doesn't matter. Lots of stupid names, good names, bad riding, good riding, fancy horses, crappy horses and everything in between.

No, you aren't going to win (or do well at all) at the big AA circuits. But at the local B/A level, the best round (find all 8, steady, correct strides, smooth changes) wins, with a fancier horse placing better if all else is equal.

Funny, that sounds JUST like eventing. You can win local shows on anything, as long as it puts in a steady dressage test and jumps clean. But you aren't going to win in a big division at the bigger shows if you horse isn't fancy, no matter how obedient and accurate your test is. I know many eventers like to think theirs is the best discipline, and that dressage and hunters are for snobs on fancy horses. But really, try GOING to a local show and you'll see how wrong you are.

It just gets a little old..you know..the "hunters are so_____________" commentary. I've hung with the event crowd, I'm related to one, have watch events/eventers ride/train. Guess what? Ya'll are the same as us hunter and jumper folk: fat horses, thin horses, fat riders, thin riders most of whom never go above training, much like most hunters never venture above the 3 foot divisions. I enjoy reading all the boards here, but the finger pointing and occasional "holier than thou" posturing does wear a bit thin at times, from all camps.

It just gets a little old..you know..the "hunters are so_____________" commentary. I enjoy reading all the boards here, but the finger pointing and occasional "holier than thou" posturing does wear a bit thin at times, from all camps.

Agreed! Out of the many responses on why the horse's name was changed, a single person makes a comment about differentiating the horse from its eventing past and then you have ensuing snarky and defensive comments and threads like this and the naming thread (which I understand is in fun, but the anti-hunter sentiment is still there):

Originally Posted by JER

Recently, we've learned that eventer names don't cut it for the elite hunter ring. Too much baggage, a dark history to sweep under the custom monogrammed wool rug. A chronic fear that video/photo evidence of the fit, lean former XC life will surface on a dubious site like Eventing Nation. Rumours that the now-stately hunter was once seen in a bridle fixed with duct tape.

I don't know I was watching the Devon Hunter Derby on USEF network and saw a professional, a pretty BNT and she had pretty hefty looking legs. So I think if you're good enough you can get away with most things.

I hope this is well recieved but do any hunters still go foxhunting aka the original reason hunter classes were created? It doesn't matter what you or your horse weigh- just that you ride well, are fit enough to keep up, are turned out and mind you p's & q's?

Pudgy Ammy hunter on a horse that is way too fancy for her raises her hand, and I rode my girl at Devon, with a name most hunter barns would cringe at. She goes cross country, I just close my meaty eyelids and pray.